The State yesterday enhanced theft charges facing former Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) moderator David Gathanju and two others.
Mr Gathanju, who served as moderator between 2009 and 2015, was charged alongside two former employees, James Muiruri and Peter Mwangi.
Muiruri is a former finance officer while Mwangi is a former communications director at the church.
The three were charged that on diverse dates between January 2, 2016, and June 30, 2017, at PCEA headquarters in Nairobi's South C estate, they stole Sh50.9 million from the church.
In a second count, they were accused of stealing Sh50.9 million that came into their possession by virtue of their employment.
The three had earlier in October 2017 been charged with stealing Sh39.9 from the church between January 2, 2016 and June 30, 2017, but were released in October 2017 on a Sh3 million bond or cash bail of Sh1 million each.
Mwangi was also charged with 12 counts of forgery. He is accused that on diverse dates between January 20, 2016 and January 12, 2017, at Equity Bank, Nairobi West branch, with intent to defraud, he forged signatures on an Equity Bank funds transfer form purporting them to be genuine signatures of Peter Kania, Alfred Kanga and Amon Nderi.
The three denied the charges and their lawyers John Njuguna Kimani Wakimaa and Danston Omari applied to have the bond terms remain as earlier set by the court.
The hearing of the case will commence today.